Where the Robots Grow: The First AI Feature Built Without a Studio

In this episode of Technically Creative, Orlando sits down with filmmaker and technologist Tom Paton, founder of AImation, to explore how AI is already disrupting the entertainment industry — and why the next generation of filmmakers won’t need studios, crews, or even cameras. From releasing the first feature-length AI film Where the Robots Grow to building a closed-beta streaming platform for gamified video-on-demand (GVOD), Tom lays out a radically efficient future for storytelling. A future where two people can make a full film in six weeks, powered by generative tools and creative instinct. He also explains why legacy Hollywood is so unprepared for what’s coming: decentralized creators, genre-bending formats, and a new pipeline where production starts after post. The old model? It’s not just outdated — it’s already being replaced. Orlando and Tom uncover: Why AI filmmaking is like Sundance in the Handycam era How Where the Robots Grow was built by 9 people in under 90 days The new economics of post-first production and studio-less pipelines What GVOD means for content distribution after the death of subscription models How AImation is positioning as the “AMC Theatres of AI” Why the industry’s obsession with “tools” misses the point of agentic collaboration